Indianische Rechte und Partizipation im Rahmen der Verwirklichung eines plurikulturellen und multiethnischen Staates

Abstract

This essay explains the new legal context for recognizing the rights of indigenous peoples in Latin America on two levels: on the national level, where there is a paradigmatic change underway, which substitutes the monistic nation-state for the multi-ethnic and pluricultural state, and, on the international level, where a new policy is guided by ILO-Convention No. 169, which recognizes indigenous peoples as continuing political entities. The article describes the recent recognition of the rights of indigenous peoples by the new constitution of Venezuela as well as a project carried out by the German international development cooperation in which the indigenous peoples of Venezuela are supported in the implementation process of their new constitutional rights. Furthermore, there is a discussion of the function of the indigenous organizations involved in the project, including an analysis of some of the details involved in the drafting process of a Comprehensive Law on Indigenous Affairs.